What does it take to create marketing campaigns that truly matter? For Dario Berrebi, Digital and Creative Director at Restless Stories, it starts with one fundamental principle: your brand is not the hero, your audience is.
In a recent episode of the Stun and Awe podcast, Dario sat down with me to unpack how his agency is redefining digital marketing and storytelling for a world in crisis. From greenwashing to brand ego, from storytelling frameworks to systemic advocacy, Dario’s insights offer a roadmap for anyone navigating the intersection of marketing, sustainability, and impact.
If you’re clinging to your brand’s style guide like a lifeboat, Dario has a wake-up call: “People don’t care about your brand. They care about what you can do for them.” He explains how many organizations, both companies and nonprofits, become emotionally attached to their branding, even when it doesn’t work.
In one case, a client insisted on using photo-driven content for months, despite the fact that performance metrics clearly favored graphic-based posts. When Restless Stories switched to graphic-led content, engagement tripled. Yet the client initially resisted, preferring brand consistency over audience resonance.
This data-driven humility, being willing to ditch what doesn’t work is central to Dario’s approach. “We’re creatives, yes, but we’re also analytical. If it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work.”
Dario draws from storytelling theory to reframe how brands should position themselves. “Your brand is not Luke Skywalker. Your customer is. You’re Yoda.” It’s a reference to the “Hero’s Journey,” a storytelling framework popularized by Joseph Campbell and widely used in film and advertising.
In this framework, a hero (your customer) encounters a problem, finds a guide (your brand), and undergoes a transformation. “There’s no story without conflict,” Dario reminds us. And too often, brands shy away from the messiness of real problems, preferring to market only positive outcomes.
But if you don’t acknowledge the pain points, your audience won’t feel seen. “Marketing should contribute to culture,” Dario says. “And culture is built on shared struggles, transformations, and progress.”
Restless Stories doesn’t just talk the sustainability talk, they live it. Over 95% of their clients align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). But Dario is quick to point out that even the SDGs aren’t sacred: “We understand their value, and their limitations.”
He emphasizes that true sustainability isn’t about perfection, it’s about transparency. “No one’s getting it 100% right. The real value is in showing progress over time.”
That’s why he advises organizations to start with honest benchmarking and basic carbon literacy training. “It’s not about knowing everything. It’s about knowing where you’re at, and being open about it.”
For Dario, carbon literacy training was personally transformative. “It showed me the top three things I could do to reduce my CO2 footprint, replace my boiler, cut down on meat and dairy, and green my money.” He believes this type of empowerment is exactly what companies need to motivate employees and drive meaningful change.
In today’s regulatory landscape, sloppy or misleading sustainability claims aren’t just bad PR, they’re illegal. Dario distinguishes between two types of greenwashing: ignorant and intentional.
The first is common among SMEs whose marketing teams lack climate expertise. “They use phrases like ‘good for the planet,’ which are almost always wrong. As long as you’re producing something, you’re extracting. That can’t be ‘good.’”
The second type is more cynical: deliberate deception using tools like carbon offsets to create the illusion of sustainability.
Then there’s greenhushing, a growing trend where companies remain silent about their sustainability efforts for fear of public backlash. Dario urges companies to resist this impulse. “If you’re on the journey and doing the work, you should talk about it. People value honesty and progress.”
In perhaps the most striking shift in Restless Stories’ recent evolution, Dario reveals that the agency is moving deeper into advocacy work. “We took a hard look at our most impactful campaigns,” he says, “and the ones that stood out were always advocacy-based.”
He offers an example: flying to Cairo for a campaign that helped align governments and developers on building 500,000 affordable green homes. The emissions from the flight were negligible compared to the impact of the agreement. “That’s when you realize, this is worth it.”
Dario's team now partners with Hero Circle, an organization that supports campaigners working inside parliaments to shape pro-environmental legislation. These aren't protests or stunts; this is surgical, strategic change-making. “They’re writing the bills, organizing cross-party working groups, and fighting against powerful lobbies.”
And yes, it looks a lot like lobbying, except it’s being used to empower people, not protect profits.
Looking ahead, Restless Stories is focused on scaling advocacy efforts for greater systemic change. Whether it’s supporting the UN Habitat’s New Urban Agenda or helping climate tech startups push for policy changes, the goal is clear: “To shift power away from extractive systems and back to people.”
Dario's North Star? Democracy and decentralization. “We’re trying to dilute power, not concentrate it. That’s our compass.”
For those wanting to get started in this space, his advice is practical and grounded:
In a world where brand values are often just lip service, Dario offers a radical yet simple proposition: let your work be the story. Let your data guide the decisions. Let your brand be the guide, not the hero.
And if you’re not there yet? That’s fine. Start the journey.
🎧 Listen to the full conversation with Dario on the Growth Leap Podcast.
Where to Find Dario
Where to find Michel:
